"If I can stop one Heart from Breaking,
I shall not live in Vain;
If I can Ease one Life the Aching;
I shall not live in Vain."
I have a Solution that will reduce pressure on IIT aspirants but do not know how to get this across to HRD Minister of India. Suggestions are welcome. (Ram Krishnaswamy)

In a bizarre advertisement published at the front page of an English daily, Kota, a hub of coaching centers for the engineering and medical entrance examinations, was described as the 'Suicide Capital of India'.

The print ad claimed that unethical institutions, most of which are in Kota, “purchase results, poach brilliant students and their results do not reflect their capabilities.”

In a bizarre advertisement published at the front page of an English daily, Kota, a hub of coaching centers for the engineering and medical entrance examinations, was described as the ‘Suicide Capital of India’. The advertisement of ‘FITZEE Talent Reward Exam’ had further claimed ‘This is Kalyug’ and unethical practices had emerged in every sectors of the country including educational institutions.

The advertisement promoting coaching institution, Forum for Indian Institute of Technology and Joint Entrance Examination (FITZEE), in its ad printed at the front page of Hindustan Times mentioned, “Whole world is passing through unprecedented corruption, exploitation & sleaze. In every activity we find mafia like people & institutions. Education is no exception.”

The print ad also claimed that unethical institutions, most of which are in Kota, “purchase results, poach brilliant students and their results do not reflect their capabilities.”

Blaming institutions Kota for driving students to commit suicide, in its advertisement FITZEE urged parents to not ‘compromise on Value System’.

At least one and a half lakh students of the country, ever year, comes to Kota to take coaching for engineering and medical entrance examinations. Following reports of student suicide in Kota, citing study pressure or depression, recently, several institutions in the coaching hub had launched 24 hours helpline to offer counselling to students and also track callers suffering from depression and provide them with assistance.

In the most recent incident of student suicide in Kota, a body of a 16-year-old was found from the Chambal River on November 24. The student from Muzaffarpur district of Bihar was undertaking coaching, to crack the IIT entrance examination, at Kota.